The Adult Social Care and Communities Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss Gloucestershire's Adult Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service, the Gloucestershire Adult Safeguarding Board's Strategic Plan, and the Quarter 2 Performance Report for 2025/26. Other items on the agenda included updates on Adult Social Care and Public Health, as well as the committee's work plan.

Gloucestershire's Adult Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service

The committee was scheduled to receive a presentation on Gloucestershire's Adult Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service, which is delivered by VIA. This service provides community-based support for individuals aged 18 and over affected by drug or alcohol use. Representatives from VIA were expected to be in attendance to answer questions. The report detailed the national context for drug treatment services, including the government's ten-year drugs plan, From Harm to Hope, and the funding streams available. It outlined the local context of commissioning services in Gloucestershire, the effectiveness of drug treatment, and service data and performance, including numbers in treatment and waiting times. Emerging issues such as ketamine misuse and drug-related deaths were also to be discussed, alongside the work programme for 2026-2027.

Gloucestershire Adult Safeguarding Board Strategic Plan

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the development of the Gloucestershire Adult Safeguarding Board (GSAB) Strategic Plan for 2026-2029. This plan aims to reduce the impact of abuse on adults at risk within Gloucestershire through three workstreams: reducing risk, increasing awareness, and improving practice. The report detailed the goals and proposed actions for each workstream, including engaging with vulnerable people to understand their experiences of abuse, developing accessible information on adult abuse, and establishing assurance processes for staff competency and organisational effectiveness. The committee was invited to contribute to the development process of this plan.

Quarter 2 Performance Report 2025/26

A performance report for the second quarter of 2025/26, covering the period from 1 July to 30 September 2025, was scheduled for noting. This report provided an update on the council's performance across various areas, including Transforming Adult Social Care (Delivery and Commissioning), Levelling Up Our Communities, Adult Safeguarding, Hospital Discharge & Reablement, Assessment, Brokerage & Review, Mental Health, and Addressing Public Health Inequalities. The report included detailed scorecards with key performance indicators, targets, and comments on performance, as well as comparator group data. Specific areas highlighted included the percentage of ASC contacts with a decision within 24 hours, the percentage of people having had a review of their needs in 12 months, and the percentage of Adult Social Care providers rated as Good or Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Adult Social Care Update

An overview of matters relating to the delivery of Adult Social Care in Gloucestershire was scheduled to be presented. This update was expected to cover the aims of the Adult Social Care Improvement and Transformation Plan, focusing on a more preventative model, responding to CQC findings, and working towards a more effective and sustainable service. Achievements since November 2025 were to be detailed, including progress on reablement services, preparing for adulthood, engagement and coproduction, advocacy and carers, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), a strengths-based model, and data and insight. A briefing on Technology Enabled Care (TEC) in Gloucestershire was also to be provided, outlining the service commissioned from Careium UK Ltd, its strategic context, scope, and benefits.

Public Health Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an overview of information relating to Public Health and the delivery of services in Gloucestershire. The report was expected to cover updates on changes to the national vaccination programme, a Kings Fund report on Gloucestershire's Covid-19 vaccination programme, and activities during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. A road safety needs assessment conducted by the Public Health team was also to be discussed, along with migration information briefings and the launch of Gloucestershire's Tackling Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025-28. Updates on the Best Start in Life initiative, the Tobacco Dependency Outreach Service, and the Health and Social Care Select Committee's inquiry into healthy ageing were also on the agenda. World AIDS Day activities were also to be mentioned.

Work Plan

The committee was scheduled to review its work plan, noting the dates of future meetings and suggesting items for inclusion. Members were asked to consider forthcoming executive decisions and the Council Strategy when proposing new items. The report outlined different categories for agenda items: Overview, Scrutiny, and Information.